Shirley Myers

Biography:

Canada's "country sweetheart" brings a new edge to her music as rock producer Keith Olson adds to the magic of There Will Come a Day

"If Shania Twain is Canada's superstar, then Shirley Myers is Canada's sweetheart." That's the opening line of a major feature story that ran in (of course!) a Canadian country music magazine.

And that's right, too. Only problem is, it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. It doesn't tell you that, when she sings, there's a real steel in her voice: the vocal edge that says "This is a song I believe in, this may be a song that's sheer fun, but it's one that's important to me."

So, there's more to this open, friendly, beautiful and warm - hearted woman than you'll see at first glance, but you'll hear it when she sings.

And Shirley Myers comes by it honestly. Born and raised in New Brunswick, she first started to sing when she was three, sitting on her daddy's knee. By the time she was four she and her sister were on stages around the province. It helped, of course, that daddy - Gerry Myers - was a well known country singer in Canada's Maritime provinces, and the star of The Bunkhouse Boys' television show in the '50s and '60s.

As she grew up, she learned guitar, played drums, and honed a warm emotion laden voice. In 1998 she got her first big break - the Canadian Country Music Associations Talent Search with a $10,000 first prize, but the career boost fizzled. She toured, endlessly, throughout the Maritimes, with occasional festivals across the country. She played on all the major Canadian music TV shows.

A turning point occurred in Nashville. Teaming up with a fellow Maritimer, Peter Leggett, who was establishing a management firm in Nashville, was a turning point. Leggett opened every door he could in Nashville and people began to take notice. Suddenly there were opening slots for George Jones (he showed up!), Terry Clark, John Michael Montgomery and Tracy Lawrence. And it was Leggett who introduced her to songwriter and producer Rick Scott.

It was Scott who helped assemble Shirley's first album, Let It Rain. The title song of the record was in fact her next big break - it turned into a Top 10 record, and was one of the most played songs on country radio in Canada in 1997.

Now living in Nashville with her husband, guitarist and songwriter Rod Nicholson (yet another native of New Brunswick) Shirley Myers is on the brink of the next step of her career.

The release of There Will Come A Day, her second album on the Stony Plain label, distributed in Canada by Warner Music, is already grabbing an unprecedented degree of interest. There are a number of reasons for this:

First the songs - many of which she and Rod co-wrote - are stronger than anything she's sung before.

Secondly, She has two guest artists on the record: One is Canadian star Duane Steele, who duets on the first single from the album, Forever In Love. The other is her father , who's featured on the final cut, The French Song, the old Lucille Starr hit, and the only tune on the album that Shirley or Rod Nicholson didn't write.

Lastly, and certainly not least, is the involvement of producer Keith Olsen, who's worked with artists as varied as Fleetwood Mac, Santana, Foreigner, the Grateful Dead and Whitesnake - helped sell more than 100 million albums.

Those who remember another Canadian singer's success after her second album was guided by a "rock producer" may well see some parallels. For Shirley Myers, the experience was rewarding; "Keith's got a great sense of humour, he never intimidates you, he's never negative and he helps you deliver your very best work," she says.

The relationship between singer and producer happened after Olden heard Let It Rain in Warner Brothers Nashville office. "I was amazed by the voice on that record," he told interviewers later. "I wanted to work with her because she has such fantastic potential."

And so, finally, Shirley Myers may indeed be on the brink of the success she's worked so hard for so long. Already, radio play is breaking on the first single and summer tour schedule is busier than it's ever been.

"There's a lot of catchy, fun songs on this record," Shirley says. "There's fun stuff and some songs that could cross to pop radio formats. But my background is country; always has been, always will. And these songs are what I've been building my career towards, all these years.